12. Functions of gerund

FUNCTION

PREPOSITIONS

EXAMPLES

SUBJECT

Translating this text is rather difficult.

There’s no avoiding it.

It is no use translating this text.

The Gerund is not used after “essential”, “important”, “necessary”. “

PREDICATIVE

- / like

My idea is learning English.

I don’t feel like going home.

PART OF COMPOUND VERBAL ASPECT PREDICATE

He began (kept on, stopped) translating this text.

DIRECT OBJECT

of, at, in, into, on, for, to, etc

We suggest going to the museum.

She denies having met us.

PREPOSITIONAL OBJECT

They insisted on going to the library.

She was not conscious of having shown any special interest in grammar.

ATTRIBUTE

of, about, in, at, for, to

He gave up the idea of going to Bangladesh.

They entered the reading hall.

ADVERBIAL MODIFIERS OF

TIME

after, on, in, at, before

After hesitating he answered in the affirmative.

The Perfect Gerund is used only if the priority is emphasized. He came back after having been away for twenty years.

PURPOSE

for, for fear of, for the sake of, for the purpose of

He wants to visit a solicitor for the purpose of making a new will.

CONDITION

without, but for, in case of

He won’t go without saying good-bye.

CAUSE (REASON)

for, through, for fear of, due to, owing to, because of, on account of

Through being left out all night in the rain the metal rusted.

He felt better for having written the letter.

ATTENDANT

CIRCUMSTANCES

instead of,

without

He went away instead of working.

He arrived without having once appeared on the stage.

CONCESSION

in spite of, despite, notwithstanding

In spite of being busy she managed to read the novel.

MANNER

COMPARISON

in, by, without

She spent her evening in reading.

The seaside is much better for me than working in the hot city all summer.

USAGE

EXAMPLES

NOTE

GERUNDIAL

1. Noun in the Possesive Case + Gerund

I remember John’s telling me that.

The action is emphasized.

2. Possessive Pronoun + Gerund

She denies his knowing anything.

HALF-GERUNDIAL

1. Noun in the Common Case + Gerund

There came the sound of the door closing then being locked.

Fancy a woman of taste buying a hat.

We object to children and women smoking.

1. This construction is common:

a) with inanimate nouns and pronouns that are not used in the Possessive Case.

b) with nouns accompanied by attributed in post position.

c) when the Gerund is preceded by more than one pronoun.

d) when the speaker wants to emphasize the doer of the action.

2. The Construction can’t combine with the verbs to avoid, to defer, to delay, to deny, to enjoy, to postpone, to put off, to risk, to suggest.

2. Personal Pronoun in the Objective case + Gerund

It’s no good you hating it.